Recognition of Facial Emotional Expression in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Varjassyová, Alexandra^{a; e} | Hořínek, Daniel^{b; e; f} | Andel, Ross^{e; g} | Amlerova, Jana^a | Laczó, Jan^{a; e} | Sheardová, Kateřina^e | Magerová, Hana^a | Holmerová, Iva^c | Vyhnálek, Martin^{a; e} | Bradáč, Ondřej^b | Geda, Yonas E.^{d; e; *} | Hort, Jakub^{a; e}

Affiliations: [a] Memory Disorders Clinic, Department of Neurology, Charles University in Prague, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic | [b] Department of Neurosurgery, 1st Medical School, Charles University and Central Military Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic | [c] Czech Alzheimer Society, Prague, Czech Republic | [d] Departments of Psychiatry & Psychology, Neurology, and Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA | [e] International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic | [f] Department of Neurosurgery, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany | [g] School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Yonas E. Geda, MD, MSc, Mayo Clinic, Collaborative Research Building, 13400 East Shea Boulevard, Scottsdale, AZ 85259, USA. Tel.: + 480 301 6284; Fax: + 480 301 7017; E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: We examined whether recognition of facial emotional expression would be affected in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). A total of 50 elderly persons met the initial inclusion criteria; 10 were subsequently excluded (Geriatric Depression Score > 5). 22 subjects were classified with aMCI based on published criteria (single domain aMCI [SD-aMCI], n = 10; multiple domain aMCI [MD-aMCI], n = 12); 18 subjects were cognitively normal. All underwent standard neurological and neuropsychological evaluations as well as tests of facial emotion recognition (FER) and famous faces identification (FFI). Among normal controls, FFI was negatively correlated with Mini-Mental Status Examination scores and positively correlated with executive function. Among patients with aMCI, FER was correlated with attention/speed of processing. No other correlations were significant. In a multinomial logistic regression model adjusted for age, gender, and education, a poorer score on FER, but not on FFI, was associated with greater odds of being classified as MD-aMCI (odds ratio [OR], 3.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–13.91; p = 0.042). This association was not explained by memory or global cognitive score. There was no association between FER or FFI and SD-aMCI (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.36–3.57; p = 0.836). Therefore, FER, but not FFI, may be impaired in MD-aMCI. This implies that in MD-aMCI, the tasks of FER and FFI may involve segregated neurocognitive networks.

Keywords: Assessment of cognitive disorders/dementia, cognitive aging, emotion, mild cognitive impairment, neuropsychiatric symptoms

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-2012-120148

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 273-280, 2013